Manufacture of blocks.



NITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 25, 1907.

Application filed August 31,1906. Serial No. 332,742. Q

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, IGNATrUs LUcAs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Passaic,`in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Blocks,

of which the following is a full, clear,-and ex`- act description.

' The invention relates to the manufacture of cement blocks, artificial stone blocks and the like, and its object is to provide certain new and useful improvements in the manu facture of blocks made from plastic material, whereby the blocks are rendered highly homogeneous and exceedingly strong and durable.

The invention conslsts in a mold, whereby the block immediately after being pressed into the desired shape and while wet is subj ected to pressure during the setting and hardening of the plastic material.

The inventlon also consists in means for carrying the above-described method into effect hereinafter described more fully and pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corres onding parts in all the views. ,f

igure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of a lurality of molds in nested condition and whi e under pressure 5 Fie'. 3 is a perspective view of the mold cover; is a sectional side elevation of a mold for forming cylindrical blocks, and Fior. 5 is a like view of a mold for forming colaumns or rollers.

In the chamber A of any approved construction is arranged a stand- B for su porting in nested condition molds C eac contamin plastic material D pressed into thc desire shape by a previous operation in a suitable press, and each mold C is provided withra cover C between which and the material D is inter osed a diaphragm E of rubber or other flexible material, as plainly indicated in Figs. l and 2. The cover C for. each mold is provided on top with a groove C2 extending from one side of the mold to the other, and from the groove C2 leads an aperture C3 onto the upper surface of the diphragm E, so that compressed air or other fluid under pressure contained in the chamber A can pass by way of the groove C2 and aperture C3 onto the outer face of the diaphra m E to press the same downward and there y hold the material D in the mold C under pressure during the setting and hardening of the material D. The chamberAis connected by api e F with a reservoir containmg compresse air or a like fluid under pressure, and the said pipe F may be connected with an air compressor or other source of fluid pressure supply so as to exert a uniform pressure on the several diaphragms E for the molds C contained a't the time in the chamber A, so that the plastic material containedin all the molds C is held under pressure while setting and hardenin The chamber A is provi ed with a suita le safety valve G set to the desired pressure so as to maintain a uniform pressure in the chamber A.

The mold C shown and described is of the ordinary rectangular form for making ordinary blocks of cement or artificial stone and the like, but when it is desired to make cylindrical blocks D, as shown in Fig. 5, for instance,l then a cylindrical mold H is provided having heads H and H2 in which are fastened the ends of a tubular diaphragm E', extending in the central opening ofthe cylindrical block D. Suitable nipples I and I are provided for holding the ends of the diaphragm E in position in the heads H', H2, and the nipple I is apertured to pressure to ass into the exible and tubular diaphragm for the latter to exert an outward pressure against the inner wall of the block D', to keep the latter under pressure while its plastic material is setting and hardening.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the cylindrical mold J is rovided with heads J and J2 and contains tlie block D2 in the form of a roller or column, surrounded by tubular diaphragrns E2. The head J is connected by a pipe with a suitable source of fluid pres` sure supply, and the said head is provided with ports J3 connecting said pipe K with a space between the inner surface of the mold J and the outer surface of the diaphragm E2, so that the fluid under pressure presses the diaphragm E2 inwardly against/Ilm block D2, to keepthe same under pressure durin the time the plastic material is setting an hardening.

It is understood that the molds H and J and their contents may be set in the chamber A, or the nipple or p1pe K may be directly connected with a reservoir containing compressed air or the like, to supply the necesermit Huid under IOO sary vfluid under pressure for the diaphra ms l E and E2 contained' in the moldsII and It is understood that the material for forming a block in the mold is still in a7 wet or plastic condition after it is pressed into the desired' sha e by a ress or the like, andA the material is ept undir pressure by the use of the flexible diaphragm until the material has completely set and hardened. Thus it will in pressing the material in a mold covering.

the material with a flexible covering and permitting it to set and harden in the mold and applying pressure to the flexible covering. duringthe setting and hardening of the material.

2. The herein described method for curing.

blocks of plastic material pressed in a mold, consisting in covering the material with a exible covering permitting the material to set and harden in the mold, and subjecting the covering to pressure during the setting and hardening.

3. In the' manufacture of blocks of plastic material, a mold for containing the material in the pressed state, and having a flexible pressure medium for contact With that art of thematerial` not supported by the mo d, and a source of pressure supply for exerting pressure' on the said medium whereby the latter pressure during the setting and ardening thereof.

4. In the manufacture of blocks of plastic material, a chamber connected with a fluid pressure supply, a plurality of molds contained within the said chamber and each filledl with a lastic material pressed into shape, and a fllxible pressure medium in cngagement at one side with the said material and subjected at the other side to the fluid pressure in the said chamber.

5. In the manufacture of blocks of plastic material, a mold containing the plastic material pressed into shape by a previous operation, an apertured and grooved cover for the said mold, a diaphragm interposed between the cover and the plastic material, and means for supplying fluid pressure to the said dia phragm by Way of the aperture in the said cover. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IGNATIUS LUCAS'.

will press the said material and keelp it under Witnesses:

THEO. G. HosTER, EVERARD B. MARSHALL. 

